Late Piano Music of Brahms Volume No. 1
Boyd McDonald, fortepiano
”Boyd McDonald plays a piano that might have been used by Brahms or his contemporaries to give a truly authentic flavour to this music. Brahms’s piano music, and his chamber music in general, are largely undiscovered treasures of romantic expression, lovely and listenable to even those who are not great classical music fans. The recording, engineered by Clive Allen, is state-of-the-art, with an intimacy and clarity that bring the music into your listening room, making any audio system simply sound better. It’s a recording that’s not just for audiophiles, but for lovers of memorable music.
Boyd McDonald studied piano with Lyell Gustin and composition with Murray Adaskin and Nadia Boulanger. After he gave his New York debut as winner of the Leschetizky Debut Prize he toured extensively as a member of the Beckett and McDonald Piano Duo.
Since his fortepiano studies with Malcolm Bilson he has performed as a soloist with orchestras and in recital across Canada, England and the USA. He is a member of the Classical Trio with violinist Jeanne Lamon and cellist Christina Mahler of Tafelmusik.
McDonald is a founding member of the Streicher Ensemble with Paul Pulford, cello, and Anne Marie Donovan, mezzo soprano. Their recordings include the Complete Cello and Fortepiano works by Beethoven and Cello Sonatas and Songs by Brahms. McDonald’s recent recordings of the late piano compositions by Brahms is the third CD recorded at Wilfrid Laurier University using period instruments. Aside from fulfilling his commitments as Professor Emeritus at WLU he continues to perform, record, and compose.
Performed on a Johann Baptist Streicher fortepiano (ca 1848).
Listen to an MP3 Sample:
Vier Klavierstrucke, Op. 119 - Intermezzo in C Major
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